


The Bravest Thing

by WeezlBot



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan, The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan
Genre: Internalized Homophobia, Men Crying, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-13
Updated: 2019-08-13
Packaged: 2020-08-20 10:54:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20226679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WeezlBot/pseuds/WeezlBot
Summary: Some demigods sit down and talk about the bravest things they've ever seen.Tamer than the tags make it seem tbh.





	The Bravest Thing

**Author's Note:**

> Found this while rummaging through my fics folder. I'd honestly mostly forgotten that it had existed.

Five demigods sat around a table in a large apartment in New Rome. Percy and Lou Ellen were playing table football, and Will was whining that they wouldn't let him play. Nico was asleep on the table, and he had been made Lou Ellen’s goal. Annabeth was working on her laptop. The back of the machine was Percy’s goal.

Annabeth slowly came out of her thinking trance. She looked around at the faces of the others. “Hey, guys…”

“Yeah?” 

“Mhm?”

“What is it, Wise Girl?” Percy asked.

"Yeah, what is it?" Will asked. 

“What's the bravest thing you've ever seen anyone do?” 

“Like in battle?” Will started.

“Could be. Or just in general, really. I'm just curious.”

“Oh. Well then it’d be… probably when Nico showed up to the Battle of Manhattan with an entire army of zombies, plus Hades,” Will replied. Nico made a happy sound from his half-sleep. Will continued. “Or maybe when Lou bitchslapped that dragon when she, Cecil and I were just arriving at camp,” Will finished.

“Why, thank you,” Lou smirked. “Mine is when Percy, Annabeth, Thalia and that goatboy went up to face Kronos by themselves.” 

Percy got a lump in his throat. “Thanks, Lou. Mine is when Annabeth faced Arachne alone.”

Annabeth shuddered, and Percy put an arm around her. Grateful for the gentle attention, she snuggled against Percy and only then was able to force words. “Thanks, you two. Nico, what's yours?”

“Well, it's hard to pick just one,” Nico muttered sleepily. “But one of mine is when Percy and Jason took on… my captors… to save me.” 

“Thanks, buddy,” Percy choked. “Another one of mine is when you went… went through Tartarus. It was the dumbest, bravest  _ damned _ thing I've ever heard anyone do.” 

Nico blushed darkly at the uncommon compliment. “Thanks, Percy. Thank you so much.”

“You're welcome. Annabeth, what's yours?” 

Annabeth spent a moment in thought. Everyone at the table was a hero. Percy had been through everything with her. Lou was the strongest Hecate kid who was still on their side. Will was the bravest, best combat medic she’d ever met, and she owed him her life. Will gave her a sunny smile. She would have thought him somewhat attractive if he weren't so  _ obviously  _ homosexual. 

Then she looked at Nico. He looked up at her, more awake now, but did not smile like the others had. Annabeth cleared her throat and sighed. “Start up an Iris-message, Seaweed Brain.”

The Iris-message glimmered to life. In it, Nico was seen slipping through the arena gates and walking up to where Percy and Annabeth were sitting. It was Nico’s coming-out scene. Percy cleared his throat and blushed. He looked so awkward, Annabeth had to laugh a little. After the Iris-message scene was over, Nico swatted out the IM and walked away to Annabeth and Percy’s room, perhaps to get some privacy.

She went to go check on him a few minutes later. He lay on the sofa listlessly. She put a hand on Nico’s shoulder, just to let him know she was there. Nico turned to face her. He wasn't crying, but his eyes were wet. Out of pity, she gave him a hug, pulling him up in her arms like he was a small child. She’d never felt anything for Nico, but she felt so bad for him that she had to comfort him now. He’d lived through so much shame. He’d been emotionally abused by his own mind. She felt awful for him.

Percy entered the room with Will. They paused at the door, and Will pushed past Percy to take to Nico’s side. Nico had nuzzled into Annabeth's shoulder like she was… family to him? Annabeth didn't know, but he seemed comfortable, so no one tried to move him.

Will had his hand on Nico’s shoulder, and was rubbing his arm and hand, gently. Percy came up and wrapped Annabeth in his arms. She appreciated the gesture. 

Nico took a deep, shuddering breath. “I'm sorry,” he said. “I'm sorry. I shouldn't… I'm a lying… I'm sorry.”

“What’d you lie about?” Will asked warily.

“I pretended to be really into Annabeth to hide the fact that… to hide my… you know…” Nico made a face like a whipped dog. 

“And it worked!” Annabeth said, stroking his hair gently. Somewhere in the background, Percy agreed with her. “You had me fooled,” she finished. 

“That's not easy, you know,” Percy interjected. 

“I know,” Nico said. “And… thanks.” He was blushing. Two compliments in one day.

“You're welcome.”

“We gotta go, guys! You okay in there?” It was Lou. In having their moment, they’d forgotten her. 

“Okay, coming!” 


End file.
